Watch the video here.
This
week's tutorial is a for a bamboo steamer basket. I am really happy
with how it turned out and I really hope all of you like it too. I
know the video is long and there are a lot of steps but none of the
steps are difficult. I know you can make this if you have any
experience with paper crafting at all. The measuring and cutting of
the strips is really the most difficult part. If you are careful and
do both your measuring and cutting accurately you will be able to
make this project.
I
start out by doing a painting technique to make a faux wood-grain/bamboo texture. I had some nice pale yellow color card-stock
on hand and I used that for the base. If you cut everything exactly
correctly with no mistakes you should be able to get by with 1
12”x12” piece of paper. I do recommend however, that you go ahead
and do the painting on a sheet plus about another quarter sheet of
paper. I messed up one of my strips when I was making the lid and had
to stop in the middle of working to paint just a bit more paper to
replace that one strip. Save yourself the hassle and paint a bit
extra to begin with.
The
painting is really easy we are just dry brushing in layers with a
beat up chip brush. The more worn your brush is the better for this
technique. Also lay down a very light layer of paint then let it dry
before adding more paint. Not only does the paint look a little
different once dry, it will no longer smear once it dries.
I
started out with a golden yellow color (Apple Barrel's Golden Sunset)
and did 3 layers of very light dry brushing. You just want a hint of
lines, and make sure all the layers go the same direction since you
are establishing the grain of the bamboo.
Once
the first color was dry I came back and did the same thing with a
brown (Anita's Woodsy Smoke) any brown will do for this layer. And
this brown is only one layer.
The
third color I used was a cream (Anita's Vanilla Cream) and this one I
think I did 3 layers again. This color will tone down all the other
colors and blend everything to give the look of bamboo.
Once
the paper is dry you can start cutting the strips for the base of the
steamer basket set. (I waited to cut the pieces for the lid until I
was ready to make it. Be sure to cut the strips with the lines of
your “bamboo” going the long way.
For
the base I cut: (all strips are cut the full width of the paper)
6
@ 1” wide
3
@ ⅛” wide
1
@ ⅜” wide
At
this point you will also need a form to use when gluing your basket
sides. I used a pint size jar that jam had come in. You need
something that is between 3” and 3 ½” in diameter. (mine was 3
½”) A jar is excellent because the glue will be less apt to stick
to it when you are gluing your paper strips.
You
will also need some rubber bands and some thick glue like a Tacky
Glue. You need to use a thicker glue for this to help prevent the
paper from bubbling and buckling from the moisture as it dries. A
thinner glue has more water and is more apt to cause problems in this
project. Some toothpicks will also be very handy throughout this
project.
Wrap
your first 1” strip around the jar and find the area that will
overlap. This is the only area of this strip that will get glue
applied. Once applied spread it out smoothly so it makes a thin even coat on the paper. Then careful wrap the strip around the jar making
sure that the strip is straight and the edges are even. Use a rubber-band to hold this in place until completely dry.
After
each addition be sure to move the paper around a bit on the glass to
assure it is not glued in place. Do this carefully so you don't misalign the strips you are gluing.
Once
dry add another strip to this one completely coating the side that
will go against the one already on the bottle. Keep everything
straight and lined up. Be sure to start each strip butted up against
the end of the last strip and use the rubber-bands to hold in place
until the glue dries. At this point pick which will be your next
strip and draw a line ¼” down from the top along one long edge.
This will be the placement line for the strip that follows it. Once
the second strip is set up ahead and add this one the same way
keeping the side with the line on the outside and the line at the
top. Allow this one to dry really well.
Now
on the forth strip draw another line ¼” from one long edge, this
will guide you for glue placement. Only apply glue to the wide area
above this line. Now line the top (the part with glue) up against the
line you drew on the third strip and carefully add this strip. The
unglued area will be below the first thee strips and toward the
glass. Again use the rubber-bands to hold in place but be careful not
to bend the paper where it is free from the layer below it.
Add
the last two 1” strips the same as the others. And sett this aside
to dry completely. Overnight is best so this will be really set up.
Now
we can work on the bottom of the basket. Yo will need to work on a
surface that your project won't become glued to, I use a ceramic tile
from the home improvement store for this. If you don't have a tile
work on use some parchment paper or something similar.
Draw
two lines that are 2” apart and parallel to each other. Then add a
perpendicular line. These lines will help you to keep all the strips
lined up. I did use an ⅛” wide wood strip as a spacer. If you
don't have one cut a piece of scrap card-stock to ⅛” wide t use
for spacing.
Cut
the ⅜” wide strip in half and line these up with the two parallel lines you drew, use some tape to hold them in place.
Cut
the 3 ⅛” wide strips into 3 pieces each (4” long)
Now
glue the first of these strips at the third line you drew making sure
it is straight. Use your spacer to place the next strip in place. I
do recommend letting the first couple of strips dry before you go any
further. It is easier to keep everything placed correctly if the ones
you have in place aren't slipping around. Be sure to remove your
spacer so it won't get stuck to the strips.
Add
the rest of the strips to the strips and allow this to dry completely
before continuing.
I
find it is much better to cut the bottom a bit larger than needed and
trim it just a tiny bit at a time. In the end you want it to fit
snugly inside the basket sitting right on the ridge formed when you
offset the 4th strip. For the best way to do this is to
trace around the outside of the steamer basket and cut on this line
first then trim just a tiny bit at a time until it fits.
We
also need a piece of kitchen string (or embroidery floss) that is cut
about 12” long. We need to thoroughly coat this in a thin glue, I
used mat Mod Podge. For this we want a thin glue that will soak into
the string not the thick glue we are using to assemble.
Now
run a bead of glue along the area where the basket bottom will be
located and position it in place. Be sure the side with the the
larger strips is facing the correct way (see picture)
Now
carefully add the glue soaked string to the area where the basket
bottom meets the sides on the bottom side and cut it to fit. Use a
toothpick to help you ease it into place then add another bead of
glue. This all needs to dry completely before we go on.
Now
time to make the lid to our steamer basket.
Cut
the following strips from “bamboo” paper.
4
@ ¼”
3
@ ¾”
4
@ ½”
Set
the ½” strips aside while be form the lid to the basket.
Using
the ¼” strips we are going to start the lid pretty much like we
did the base. Wrap the first one around the jar, adding glue only to
the area that overlaps. Hold with a rubber-band and allow to dry. Add
the remaining 3 strips one at a time being careful to like up all the
edges.
Now
we add the ¾” pieces the same way lining the up one edge with the
edge of the ¼” strips that are already glued together.
Allow
this to dry overnight.
Meanwhile,
we can weave the top as desired. You can take the easier way and just
do the one over one under. I decided to use the more typical weave I
see on these baskets. It is a bit more complicated but I think it is
worth it. Once this is woven glue the tips so that they will stay in
place when you are inserting it into the basket.
Cut
and apply thin glue to another piece of string just like for the
base. Cut this one a bit bigger so you will have extra to use for the
handle once everything is dry.
Once
all of your glue is dry trace the outside of the lid onto your woven
piece and cut on the line. This piece needs to stay a bit large so it
dome when inserted.
Add
the glue to the ridge where the the ¼” strips meet the ¾”
strips. Use the glue soaked string just like with the base. Be sure
to consult the picture to get everything placed the correct
direction. Once again allow to dry.
Once
all is dry use a bit of the leftover string that was soaked in glue
to make a handle.
See
although that was a lot of steps none of them were difficult and most
were the same basic steps repeated. I know you can do this if you
have done any paper-crafting.
Be
sure to show me pictures of what you make, I love to see what you do
with my tutorials.
Also
if there are any projects you want me to add to my list be sure to
let me know.
In
the video I promised to tell you all why this video is on the channel
this week so here goes. As I said before I have been wanting to do
this for a long time, it was something I was thinking about way back
when I did the egg roll and dumpling tutorials. I just never got
around to it. Then it was requested a while back on the Facebook page
so it was back on my mind. The one day last week I was going through
a box of my polymer clay reference books that I have collected over
the years. That not only includes books specifically on polymer clay
but some cookbooks with wonderful pictures for reference. I was
thumbing through one of the Asian cookbooks in the box that afternoon
and saw some pictures of bamboo steamers. That night in the middle of
the night I woke up (like 2 hours after I had fallen asleep) with an
idea for how to make this steamer basket. I actually was awake for
about 4 hours with the idea swirling around in my head. I worked out
most of the project during that time. I got up that morning and made
a prototype pretty much exactly the way I came up with. I only had to
re-do the lid a bit to make it work correctly. So that is why you are
getting this tutorial this week.
As
always I do want to sincerely thank all of you for watching my videos
and reading my blog posts. It means so much to me that you are
supporting me in this way. If I could ask you all to do just a bit
more by subscribing to the channel and liking the videos and leaving
comments. Those help more than you can imagine. Also if you could
pass the links on to your friends I would appreciate it so much.
